St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-10-20
BORER and DANES CASE.
The Somewhat Celebrated Case of Al
legged Conspiracy.
IS THERE POLITICS IN IT?
A Story That is Making Much Talk in
the Southern Minnesota
Valley.

Felix A. Borer, of LIE Sueur, was
soldier who served long and well
during the sixties and during the
many years before and since that
he has lived in the Southern Minnesota
valley, his neighbors and business ac-
QuaintanceS all through the state re-
garded him as an upright man. Night
before last jury in the United States
court brought i'll verdict of not guilty
to the charge against him of being
party to a conspiracy in defrauding an
other old soldier of money paid him as
pension. In the same charge Henry j.
Dane, an old-time resident of LIE Sueur,
and of unQueStiOned integrity, was also
made defendant, and the verdict in his
case was the same. The complaining
witness was John Randall, of LIE Sueur,
who brought the suit against Mr.. BOrer
and Mr.. Dane. The latter is the post
master at the place named, appointed
over four competitors. There is long
story to the case, which has caused
deal of talk in all Southern Minnesota
where the parties are well known.
Randall is generally reckoned among
the folks at LIE Sueur as almost non
compOS mentiS, so say MeSSrS. BOrer
and Dane. He was for time soldier.
having enlisted i'll the latter part of "a
and been honorably discharged in June
or July of 80, and came to Minnesota.
AT times, when he could not support
himself and family, since then, he has
been given aid by the Grand Army post
and benevolent organizations, and some
times has been helped by the town au-
thorities. According to those who are
in position to know the facts in the
case, Mr.. Borer had helped him on
numerous occasions, and Mr.. Dane, who
kept store, had trusted him for goods
at such times as there was no prospect
of payment in sight. In 1888, through
Mr.. Borer'S efforts, Randall
SECURED 4 PENSION
amounting, with back payments, to
about 1000. With this he lived high,
while it lasted, and in few months it
was gone, for before January of the
next year he had ''blown it all in"
Then he lived as he had done before.
Last February. by the efforts of Mr..
Borer, he got from the government an
increase, and the fact was noted in the
local paper. That put the good folks of
the town to talking, and according to
the statements made when the case was
tried, set some of RandallS acquaint-
ances to scheming how they might come
in OH the deal; honestly, to be sure, for
Randall had blown the money he got
before right and left. They wanted
him to repeat the operation. 1t was
easy for them to work him. and they
broke no statutes when they did so.
Randall was aware of this fact, and to
make sure that no more of his business
should be known by his relatives and
friends than to himself his mail was left
in Mr.. BOrer's box at the poStoffice, the
latter being his agent and looking after
his business interests. When the vOuch-
ers came for the back pension increase,
amounting to 1868, Randall took them to
Mr.. Borer, who was sick in bed, and
they were made out in due form, and
later the money was drawn. Then the
good folks began to talk of how Randall
might Squander his pile, until the Grand
Army post passed a resolution in favor
of naming a guardian to look after it.
But some objected to this on account of
the mans family and wanted no such
record to stand against him. 1t was
finally agreed by all concerned that
Randall should take what was neces-
sary to pay up his debts, amounting to
about 500, and that the balance should
be deposited in the LIE -Sueur County
bank, with the cashier, as
A SORT OF TRUSTEE,
of the amount. 1t was also agreed that
Randall might draw out a small amount
at regular intervals. With the 5000
which he retained, Randall paid debts to
BOrer and Dane amounting to 800, for
goods, ETC., and squared himself with
his other minor creditors. Then he said
he was happy. He was out of debt and
had $500 odd in the bank.
One day Randall went to the bank
and wanted money to buy sewing
machine and silk dress for his wife.
The cashier refused to give him what
he asked for, telling him that he might
draw out his entire account or take what
had been agreed upon as his weekly al
lOwance. Thereupon Randall went to
an attorney in another place and got a
draft for the entire amount, and soon
after MesSrs. BOrer and Dane, who had
befriended Randall for years, found
themselves defendants in suit in the
government courts. They were indicted,
they say. on the testimony of Randall,
who, at the very time he went to the at
torney's to make complaint, was wear
ing suit of clothes which Borer had
paid for out of his own pocket. Then
came the legal proceedings and night
before last the defendants were found
not guilty. Meantime the neighbors
talk down at LIE Sueur.
SOMETHING BEHIND 1T.
NOoHe WIZ hIlOWS oil lue parties De-
neveS there was any cause for action,
but some say this: "There was politics
in it. The feeling over the appointment
of Dane as postmaster was what lay at
the bottom of the whole affair. Randall
was the tool of men who have clearer
heads than he, and who put him to bring
the suit against the men to whom he
ought to have felt himself indebted.
There is something behind Randalrs
complaint that the public ought to
know about" And SO the good folks
talk down in the Southern Minnesota
country, while Messrs. Borer and Dane,
some dollars out of pocket by reason of
their trip to st. Paul and their costs of
law, have gone home justified. but
grieued that they were made 10 suffer at
the hands of an irresponsible man in
the hands of their enemies, perhaps.